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What you eat is eating you out || Acharya Prashant, in conversation (2022)
Prakrati
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1 year ago
Dairy Industry
Animal Cruelty
Bhagavad Gita
Prakriti
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Spirituality
Exploitation
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the ethical and biological fallacies of the dairy industry, emphasizing that human greed and exploitation are the primary drivers of animal cruelty. He argues that even without direct evidence, one can infer the mistreatment of animals based on the inherent human tendency to maximize profit from any resource. He highlights that humans are the only species that consumes the milk of another species and continues to do so long after infancy, despite lacking the necessary enzymes to digest it. He clarifies that milk is biologically designed by nature for the specific offspring of that species, such as a calf or a kid, and is not intended for human consumption. Regarding the religious justification involving Shri Krishna, Acharya Prashant explains that an avatar's actions are often constrained by the customs, geography, and time period of their birth. He asserts that Shri Krishna's consumption of milk was a time-bound cultural attribute of his childhood in a community of cowherds, rather than a timeless spiritual directive. He emphasizes that the true essence of Shri Krishna is found in the Bhagavad Gita, which is timeless and contains no mention of dairy consumption as a requirement for following his teachings. He urges seekers to focus on the eternal wisdom of the scriptures rather than historical or cultural habits that have no relevance in the present age. Finally, he discusses the emotional bond between a mother and her offspring, stating that the attachment seen in human mothers is fundamentally the same as that in animals. He criticizes the artificial distinction humans make between 'human love' and 'animal attachment' to justify the exploitation of cows. He points out the absurdity and violence of humans stealing milk intended for calves, noting that continuing to consume milk into adulthood symbolically reflects a lack of mental and spiritual maturity. He concludes that true respect for life requires recognizing the shared animal nature of humans and animals and applying the same standards of compassion to both.